FREAK SHOW

Teenage drag queen Billy Bloom, perfectly and entertainingly embodied by narrator Ben Estes, arrives at a new school determined to dazzle classmates with his sparkling personality and fabulous ensemble. Instead of admiration, they respond with homophobic vitriol and spitwads. The students, voiced by Suzanne Toren, Tracey Petrillo, Caitlin Kelly, and Estes, seem to surround listeners (especially if you wear headphones) as they sound out their chorus of derision, followed by praise, and indifference. Billy's attempts to navigate treacherous school dynamics, family drama, a crush on the school football star, and the triumph of his latest and greatest social coup are simply marvelous, darling! Musical enhancements, sprinkled throughout, and vibrant performances of supporting characters round out this fantastic production. It concludes with a new postscript from the author. J.R.T. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2017]